Strawberry Panic: Afterword
by NsShadowSerpent
Summary: As the Etoile ceremony draws to a close with Spica declared the victor, Suzumi Tamao and Nanto Yaya struggle to accept the undesirable changes in their relationships with Nagisa and Hikari. However, shattered hearts cannot mend with only time alone...
1. A Place in the Heart

******Disclaimer:********I don't own Strawberry Panic. If I did though, well, no one would want to know what would happen if I did. I'd go crazy. Nuts even.**

**Author's Note:** **Well, hey. NsShadowSerpent here as usual.**

**All right, so college homework has been killer, but I finally got some time to work on a Strawberry Panic story featuring my favorite characters; Shadow Empress Chikaru-chan, Yaya-chan, Tsubomi-chan, and my most favorite of all, Tamao-chan.**

**Yes, I'm a pretty big fan of blue-headed, obsessive, creepy, stalker-rific Tamao-chan. But I'm not butt hurt about the ending of Strawberry Panic. I had been expecting it from the beginning. It would have been nice to have seen some love for Tamao and Yaya at the end though, am I right?**

**Anyway, this takes place after the ending of the anime, and here, we get a little peak at what's going on with Tamao. Enjoy.**

**Title:** **Strawberry Panic: Afterword**

**Written by:** **NsShadowSerpent**

**Genre:** **Drama,** **Romance, Yuri**

**Rating:** **T**

**Warning:** **Well, there's yuri. I'm pretty sure any reader who clicks on this story in the Strawberry Panic category would be aware of that.**

**Story Summary:** **As the Etoile competition draws to a close with Spica declared the victor, Suzumi Tamao and Nanto Yaya struggle to accept the undesirable changes in their relationships with Nagisa and Hikari. However, shattered hearts cannot always mend with only time alone…**

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**STRAWBERRY PANIC: AFTERWORD**

**A PLACE IN THE HEART: CHAPTER I**

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_True love burns the brightest,_

_but the brightest flames… _

_always leave the deepest scars…_

…

…

Suzumi Tamao lay alone in the room she knew to be hers since moving into the Strawberry dorms so long ago. The Etolie competition had concluded, and all of Astrea Hill were ecstatic for the new couple of Otori Amane, the ever popular prince of Spica, and Konohana Hikari; her timid, yet beautiful princess. Together, the two would become one of the most celebrated Etolie in all of the three schools. It was quite a memorable moment to everyone in some way, but the event was more memorable in so many different ways to others.

Tamao turned over on her silk bed so she lay on her back. She laced her fingers together and rested her hands on her abdomen, hearing only the faint sounds of crackling fireworks from outside. A small, distant smile though a pair of glazed, sapphire colored eyes betrayed her own innermost feelings, but she was happy for them, and especially for Hikari. The shy blonde headed girl was one of her closest friends, and to see her so happy with the person she loved…

She felt a sudden warm moisture stream down her cheeks. Her lips parted from the sensation, she gave a corner of her eye a light touch of the fingers surprise, and sat up on the bed with some effort.

"Hah… that's odd…" the young girl said, chuckling a little. "I don't remember… when… did I start to cry?"

With downcast eyes, Tamao glanced at her ruffled Miator student uniform. She hadn't bothered to change out of it after the ceremony. She'd changed once already before the fireworks commencement began, and to change again just seemed to be far too much effort than she was willing to exert now.

Lulim's President Chikaru managed to catch a hold of Tamao at the festival grounds after the end of the Etolie ceremony. The elegant, raven-haired beauty approached Tamao without a sound, an odd expression painted on her face. It was indiscernible to Tamao, not a look of pity, nor a look of comfort, but Chikaru wouldn't have bothered to approach her if something wasn't on her mind, would she?

Tamao had noticed her own facial expression was odd all the same, and she put on a casual smile for the council president. Not too sudden or unusual; Tamao didn't want it to seem like she was forcing herself. Chikaru didn't appear as if she bought it, but she returned the gesture with a small smile of her own.

"_Chikaru-san, is something wrong?"_

Chikaru brought one of her hands over to grab her free arm, almost as if she were somewhat hesitant. She glanced off to the side for a moment, before facing Tamao once more, a determined expression on her face.

"_I believe I should be the person to ask you the same, Tamao-san."_

"_What… do you mean… by that?"_

"_Are you enjoying the fireworks?"_

"_I…"_

Tamao shook her head in an attempt to dispel the memory. She stood from her bed and headed toward the dorm's door, taking a firm hold of the knob. A moment's passing thought crossed her mind, before she resigned to rest her back and arms to the door instead. She placed most of her weight onto one of her legs, propping the other up on the wooden door.

It was a simple question Chikaru had asked her, really.

And yet, she couldn't answer.

She just felt so… vulnerable. Something in Chikaru's words made her break down. She hadn't been on the verge of crying. And yet, Tamao found herself bursting into tears in an instant, and her head buried in the crook of the raven-haired girl's shoulder the next. Tamao trembled in her arms, and the tears just wouldn't disappear, no matter how much she wished them to. She felt so pathetic in front of Chikaru; she always kept herself poised with an air of that unshakable Tamao confidence. But then, everything she was, broke.

Chikaru only held her, pulling her closer to her chest and placing delicate hands over her back, embracing her.

"_It's okay, Tamao-chan," Chikaru whispered into the girl's ear. "If you're sad…"_

"…_just cry."_

She hadn't wanted to cause a scene, so Tamao had decided to retire early for the night. A few concerned looks from her fellow classmates prompted Chikaru to make excuses on her part, and Tamao told them she hadn't been feeling well. Amane, as chivalrous as ever, offered her a ride back to the infirmary on Star Bride, but Tamao declined the offer as Chikaru had already volunteered to take her back herself.

"_If you need someone to talk to… about anything, Tamao-chan, you can come to me. I'm always here."_

Tamao rubbed an eye. It was late well into the night, but sleep had yet to come to her. She couldn't have been expecting anything more, could she? The choice had already been made, and it was she who pushed her to make it… so what reason was there to force herself? For her sake?

Her whole world, her own, strawberry-headed world, had already been taken away from her… for everyone in the school to see.

Once again, she was alone in the room, and it just seemed so big to her, like all those long years before. But someday, she knew she'd find someone to share precious memories with. She only hadn't expected those memories to be painful ones.

But that choice was hers alone.

She loved those memories, even if they hurt. Even if all they ever would do would be to eat and tear away at her heart, they would always be her precious memories. She would treasure them there, forever.

And no one would ever take them from her.

She felt a presence from the barrier that separated her from the world outside, familiar to her. Tamao held still, long lashed eyes closed, as if she were making a resolute decision.

There were no longer any heartaches, only a sense of pure, simple understanding.

"Welcome back, Nagisa-chan…"

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**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Author's Note:** **Thoughts? Comments, complaints, requests… um… take-out or delivery?**

**Review if you've read. They really do make me a little warmer and fuzzier inside. I loves me the review fuzzies. Mmm**…


	2. A Place for Warmth

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Strawberry Panic. If I did, well, things would have turned out much different. **

**Author's Note:** **Oh, the unbridled joy. It's Chapter II. I wouldn't really say free time was used to write this segment, as I pretty much ignored an entire lesson while typing it up. I doubt I'll ever graduate. Well, it's my loss. Tamao and Nagisa have had their moment for the time being. Now, it's time for a little look at Yaya.**

**Review Responses:**

**Whitley (Chapter I): Thanks for favoriting. Hope you'll continue reading ahead.**

**Kaizer20 (Chapter I): I'm honored! Hope I don't blow expectations…**

**RomanticVulcanolight (Chapter I): Thanks. Chikaru's one of my favorite characters. Personality and talent wise, she's got everyone else beat. **

**Here's Chapter II. Enjoy.**

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**STRAWBERRY PANIC: AFTERWORD**

**A PLACE FOR WARMTH: CHAPTER II**

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"…"

It had been quiet in the small room, almost for much too long, and only the sound of the ticking clock mounted to the wall uttered any sort of life from it. Not a single event of the day mattered to the contraption; regardless of what went on outside of its walls. It only had one goal, to please time, and it would continue to do so by swinging its pendulum without the slightest care in the world.

Nanto Yaya hugged her legs to her body and buried her face in the crook of her knees. It was freezing. Even though the months of winter only recently began, the cold grew into her. She would have used the blanket sitting underneath her for some warmth, but the ravenette had little desire to ask the other girl to move at all.

There wasn't a need on her part to make any eye contact at all; she knew the first year was there, sensing her on the same bed to the side of herself.

"…Isn't there someplace else you'd rather be?" Yaya asked, her voice sounding very strained and muffled by the placement of her knees. Her chest felt heavy. It almost hurt to talk, but she didn't care. With any luck perhaps, maybe it'd hurt so much, she'd never be able to speak again.

There was no immediate response. The bed sheets wrinkled from the subtle movement.

"…N…no," the girl finally said to her, a mixture of hesitation and nervousness layering her voice, "This… this is… where I want to stay right now…" She continued to keep her eyes fixed on the window ahead, giving little attention to the bright fireworks display outside.

Yaya buried her head even deeper, raven hair covering her forehead and eyes.

"…Do whatever you want."

She didn't understand the point of the girl subjecting herself to unsettling company. But if it was what she wanted, then so be it. Yaya wasn't going to object to her in the slightest. Whatever she did was of little consequence to her.

"I will," the pink-haired girl replied.

Yaya didn't respond. The words she had been looking for seemed to escape her. If she replied, she might have said something she shouldn't. There were a lot of things Yaya held regrets for, and she certainly didn't need any more of them flooding her plate.

She felt a lot like the pendulum on the wall: uncaring, continuing to swing despite the everyday activities. Just like it, she held a single goal in mind. And to reach it, she would sing from that special place. She would sing her soul out, with a voice pure as white, and with all her heart… just for her.

It all felt so pointless now.

She hadn't budged an inch from the bed since the others departed. By now, the Etoile election must have already commenced.

It didn't matter to her who would win the election this year; because whoever did, they'd still be together. In the end, that's all that would really matter.

Nagisa and Tamao. Still happy, still the best of friends. No situation would ever be awkward between either of them, unlike her own.

Maybe, if the saints would allow it, they'd grow even closer. Tamao wasn't fooling anyone if she had been trying to, and she certainly couldn't fool her. Yaya could picture Nagisa's bubbly smiling face, and she was happy for them. Bless them both; they deserved each other more than anything.

She should have tried harder like them. If she did, then things might have turned out different. But… would it have been right?

Kaname's voice pierced her mind.

"_Do you have the right to interfere with the love of others?"_

"…"

No.

It was selfish. She had no right. The girl confided in her, trusted her. She was her friend. It was wrong of her to want any more than that. But why were her feelings so strong towards her? She found herself beginning to choke up.

The bed ruffled once more. She could feel the movement much closer to her, and her weight made the mattress sink a little.

"…Y-Yaya-sempai," a soft voice whispered into her thoughts.

Yaya shook her head. She was hearing things now. Wasn't it she herself who pushed the princess to be with her prince? That was what she wanted for her right? To be happy? Just like herself, her friend had a goal… and she… that was Yaya's goal. She was supposed to be the one to help her get there, not to be a hindrance…

Yaya was supposed to be her best friend. And that was all.

She had cheered her on herself…

"_I'll be rooting for you…"_

She had supported her…

"_Do your best…"_

And she had tied the ribbon to send her on her way.

"…_Cute. Just like an angel…"_

She was her angel, and she gave her the warmth she'd always longed for. But she lost that warmth; no matter how much she wanted to keep her, she knew she couldn't.

After all, angels aren't meant to be locked up.

Someday, they have to fly away.

She began to shiver again, and honestly, she wouldn't have minded freezing to death right then. At least then, maybe she wouldn't have to feel so cold anymore.

Delicately, a pair of arms encircled themselves around her body from behind, and a head of sweet scented rosette hair placed itself on her shoulder, strands of it intertwining with her own.

"…Tsubomi-chan."

Somehow, it just felt so much warmer.

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**FIN**

**Author's Note:** **Mmm. Delicious.**

**That's the end for now. A sequel may be in the works, broken from this story due to a different writing style of my choice. We'll see how it goes.**

**Anyway, I'm sure you know the drill, review if you'd like for me, blah blah. I accept snide comments, deep intellectual thoughts, raging criticism, and angry finger points from close friends. (Oh my god, you're writing yuri! Die in a fire!) They're all like candy to me. I just eat them up either way. Yum.**


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